Harry's Final Year
by donalddeutsch
Summary: A HBP compliant final year story.


**Harry's final year**

Chapter One: Prologue

Harry Potter was having one of the worse days of his life. He was sitting in his bedroom at #4 Privet Drive, the summer after his Sixth year. He had just lost one of his mentors and someone he thought of like a grandfather, to his most hated Professor at his school. He was following his mentor's last request, and spending a month at his relatives house, before finally moving out and on his own. He had been there for a couple of weeks now, and was just contemplating what he was going to do. He had heard from the new Headmistress that the school was going to be open again the next year, and he was asked that he come back this year. He decided that he would come back to the school this next year, so that he could finish up his schooling, and to also do research on the Horcruxes and where they might find them. It didn't hurt that he was made the Head Boy for the year, and he smiled, for he knew that Hermione was going to be the Head Girl.

There was one other thing that was making so that Harry was having a miserable day. He had been thinking about this one thing for the last week, and couldn't figure out how to tell her that he had made a mistake in pushing her away. He decided that he would tell her in a letter, and then to beg her forgiveness when the next time they met. He took out some sheets of parchment, and a quill to write some letters. He wrote to one of his best friends, Hermione Granger first.

Dear Hermione:

I know that we just saw each other a couple of weeks ago, and that I have been sending letters every couple of days, but I just thought that I would let you know a couple of things, and ask your advice about something in the process. First off, congratulations on being made the Head Girl for the year, and yes as you probably already know, I am the Head Boy, which comes to the next thing I wanted to tell you. I am going back to school this year as a request of Professor McGonagall, oops sorry, I should say, Headmistress McGonagall. Well that is the main news I have, now for the questions.

How are things going between you and Ron? I know that you two have seemed to become quite a couple over the last few months, and I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't at the Burrow right now, spending as much time with him as you can. Don't worry, I'm not looking down at you for it, and I wish you two the best of luck.

My other question is, can you help me with a problem I have. I need to apologize to Ginny, and try to get her back. I know that she said that she would wait for me, but I want to do something that would say I'm sorry, and that I love her. Do you have any suggestions?

With all my love for my sister,

Harry

The next letter he wrote was to his other best friend Ron Weasley. He decided that this was going to be a bit shorter, but still have all the main stuff in it.

Hey Ron

How are you doing? I am doing great. Can't wait to get out of here in a couple of weeks, and join you guys for Bill and Fleur's wedding. How are the Cannons doing? You won't believe it, but I am going back to school this year, and being the Head Boy. One of the reasons that I am doing this and not going directly after the Horcruxes, is because the Headmistress reminded me that I should stick around for my final year, and to research as much as I can on them. Congratulations on being made the Quidditch team captain, I don't think I could have done both. Grins. Give all your family my love, and I will see you in a couple of weeks.

Harry

He sent a similar letter to both Luna and Neville, letting them know that they were the only ones that couldn't see that they were meant for each other. He thought that it might get them together, if they weren't already. He also didn't mention the bit about the Cannons with them, but that was obvious.

His final letter was the longest, and the most difficult one for Harry to write. He wasn't sure how she would take it, and whether or not she would accept and read the letter without burning it up. He took the piece of parchment and started writing.

My Dearest Ginny (I hope):

I hope that this letter finds you well and in good moods. I would like to start this letter with a apology. "GINNY I WAS AN IDIOT, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO FORGIVE ME FOR BEING AN IDIOT." Sorry for yelling like that, but it was showing my emotions that I am feeling at this moment on the idiocy that I was making when I broke it off with you. Will you please give me another chance, and I promise that I won't push you away again. Maybe you would like to know, I am coming back this school year to finish my schooling, and became the Head Boy, along with, as I'm sure you already know, Hermione being the Head Girl.

I hope that you can forgive me, and take me back. I do still love you Ginny, and I find that I made a very big mistake in trying to push you away. If it will help, I will swear an oath on my magic that I will never do that to you again. I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness, and I don't want a answer right away. If you would at least give me an answer when I come over for the wedding. If you will have me back, I would like to ask to escort you to the wedding as your date.

Just remember this Ginny, I love you so much, and hope that you can love me again one day.

All my love for you forever

Harry

Harry looked the letters over with a smile. He tied the letters to Hedwig's leg, and told her whom to take them to. He watched as she winged her way out the window on her mission of delivering the letters. He then stretched out on his bed and went to sleep.

The next couple of weeks saw Harry doing chores and making plans on his leaving the Dursley's for the final time. One night, a week before he was to leave, he joined them for dinner and cleared his throat. "Excuse me Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, Dudley. I'm sorry for disrupting dinner with this, but I just thought that it would be nice and proper to let you all know something."

Vernon Dursley looked at his freak of a Nephew and nodded his head letting him know that he could go on.

Harry cleared his throat and took a drink of water before he started. "Well, as you might not know, but then you might know, my 17th birthday is in a week, and that makes me an adult in both the Wizard and the normal world."

Vernon looked at him with a smirk.

Dudley looked at him with a stupid look.

Petunia looked at him with a dawning understanding. "That means that your..."

"Your what boy?" Vernon was beginning to turn puce with rage wondering what was so big about this.

"It means that I will be leaving in a week, and won't ever be coming back here." Harry gave them a look and a small smile.

Vernon looked like he was going to burst in laughter and was actually smiling.

Dudley still looked stupid of course.

Petunia looked like she was between crying and relief. "I wish you good luck Harry. Have a good time with whatever you may do in life." She sounded truthful in her lauding, and hoped that he was going to do good.

"Thank you Aunt Petunia, that means a lot to me. I will keep in touch if you would like. Yes I will send the letters via regular mail, and call on the telephone if I call. Thank you for bringing me in, and taking care of me all these years. You could have just taken me to an orphanage no matter what the headmaster said." When he said this last part, he had a tear in his eyes. He wiped the tear away and smiled slightly at his family, before going over and hugging his aunt.

"What's the matter boy, did one of your freaks leave you or something?" Vernon was still mean as a Death Eater when it came to Harry.

Petunia looked at Vernon with a shake of her head. She didn't know what happened, but she could sense that something was wrong with her nephew. She didn't know if it was residual magic that she had, or just a woman's intuition.

"Sorry about that Uncle Vernon, it's just that we lost our headmaster to a former professor at the end of last year, and I had to witness it. We had just got back from doing something, and I was put into a body bind, that's a spell that makes you immobal and unable to move, when he was attacked by another student. The student couldn't kill him, but our former Potions Professor and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor came in and killed him when the student just couldn't do it." He wiped the tears from his eyes, and smiled before going to his dinner.

Dinner that night was rather quiet and subdued after that. Harry wasn't asked many other questions, and he was glad about that. He smiled when he wasn't forced to do a lot of chores or stuff around the house.

It was two weeks later, while he was packing up his stuff, and getting ready to go, that his Aunt stopped by and smiled. "Can I talk to you a bit Harry?"

Harry looked up and nodded. He motioned her to the bed while he sat down on the desk chair. "Yes Aunt Petunia, is there anything that you need?" He didn't have any malice in his voice, just wonder.

"I have a few things for you that was asked that I give you on the night before you left here permanently. It's just a small box of mementos, and stuff. I haven't gone through it, but the letter that was with it, said it was just letters and stuff of your parents. I'm sorry that I haven't given it to you before, but some spell kept me from remembering about it til today. I wish you the best of luck, really. I know that we didn't treat you right, but there is something that just wasn't right about that. Maybe it was a spell, maybe it was just someone being a jerk and putting us under some kind of charm to get us to not be nice to you. You will find some pictures in this envelope that will show you what I mean." She smiled and set the box down on the bed, before hugging Harry and leaving the room.

"Thank you Aunt Petunia, this means a whole lot to me." Harry looked at the box and then at the envelope on top. He opened up the letter, and then looked at the pictures that were in it. He found that they were of his parents, and his Aunt and Uncle looking like they were having fun. He was stunned by this, but he didn't have time to find out about this. He would have to find out more about it later.


End file.
